Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess appears like a throwback to an earlier time within the recreation business. The experimental age of the 2000s the place builders had the liberty to fiddle with style conference and aesthetics. The period that spawned cult hits like God Hand, Okami, and Onimusha. In that spirit, Capcom has developed a recreation that blends two disparate genres, leading to one in all 2024’s most nice surprises.
Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess Assessment – Following The Path
The set-up for Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess performs out like a people story. A mountain has grow to be infested with a demonic drive generally known as the Seethe. The one one who can purify the mountain is a priestess named Yoshiro. Given how deadly the Seethe is, Yoshiro summons a spirit warrior named Soh to guard her and supply steerage. However Soh is only one warrior. In the event that they intend to save lots of the mountain and its folks, Soh should strategically recruit and command native villagers to guard Yoshiro and purify the land one step at a time.
With that straightforward premise, Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess frames its total gameplay loop: a mixture of third-person motion, and real-time tower protection. You discover the map by day, purifying areas, recruiting villagers, and guiding Yoshiro in direction of a torii gate. By night time, you and the villagers defend Yoshiro from waves of Seethe. Get Yoshiro to purify all torii gates within the space and also you full the extent.
The concept of mixing tactical technique and fast-paced motion is not precisely new in video games however Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess ‘gameplay demonstrates a excessive degree of polish and intentional design.
That is most obvious in the way it melds motion and technique collectively. Usually, Soh’s fight prowess is not any totally different from different hack-and-slash protagonists. Mild assault, heavy assault, block, and dodge. However enemy waves are aggressive and quite a few.
You’ll be able to feasibly bottleneck one wave of Seethe with a string of lethal assaults, however what concerning the two different waves coming elsewhere? You’ll be able to slice by means of ground-based enemies, however what concerning the lethal aerial assassins? What occurs when Seethe makes it to Yoshiro and also you’re on the opposite aspect of the map? What occurs whenever you get overwhelmed?
Enter the real-time protection components. Purifying an space grants you crystals. Crystals can be utilized to assign villagers totally different roles. These roles can vary from easy axe fighters and archers to extra complicated sumo wrestlers and cannoneers. Crystals additionally purify Yoshiro’s path to the torii gates, letting her progress. Do you attempt to get Yoshiro to the objective rapidly, or do you put money into sturdy defenses and take your time?
The time and useful resource administration in these ranges compounds with the introduction of the craftsman. The craftsman can restore areas or traps in a degree, which may both decelerate Seethe or improve your allies. This results in loads of small tactical selections that may imply victory or defeat through the day. A single harm entice can imply the distinction between being overwhelmed and attending to the top.
Just like the motion sections, the technique components of Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess are simple in isolation. Should you’re conversant in the style, numerous staples are current and accounted for – low-cost dependable melee and ranged models, pricey assist models, expensive devoted models, and so on.. However when mixed with the strong enemy selection and Soh’s responsive fight, the complete expertise is an electrical rush of time administration and intense sieges.
It’s a unbelievable gameplay basis made juicier with considerate degree design. Every map within the recreation is compact; you may go from finish to finish in a couple of minute. Every factor of the map is deliberately positioned – each fork within the path, each branching path, each bottleneck. Moreover, each single map has some distinctive environmental or architectural twist – managing visibility in a darkish cave, coordinating naval fight on a storm-ridden lake, the record goes on.
However the greatest draw by far is how refined and easy unit administration is. Place a unit in an space, and they’re going to assault something inside a sure space. If they are a protection unit they may buff, debuff, or heal the identical manner. It is probably not as complicated as Command & Conquer, however for one thing extra fast-paced it really works.
If there may be one space the place the sport’s fight stretches too skinny, it’s within the boss fights. They will vary from complicated multi-level exams of spatial reasoning and ways to annoying well being sponges with tedious unblockable assaults; the supply of some ragequits.
Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess Assessment – Restoring The Mountain
Along with satisfying moment-to-moment gameplay, Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess’ macro development is nice. Clearing ranges earns you Musubi, which can be utilized to enhance the stats of various unit varieties or unlock further talents for Soh. These enhancements vary from easy well being and harm will increase to unlocking extra complicated instructions on your models.
Each Musubi and crystals you earn carry over between ranges, including a layer of long-term administration. There have been various events the place I needed to make due with fundamental axemen and archers as a result of I blew my crystal price range on riflemen and spearmen in a boss struggle. Conversely, I put my Musubi into maxing out the fundamental melee and ranged models then put the rest into Soh’s tactical fight choices. It let me get essentially the most out of the most cost effective choices in addition to present a useful resource reserve if I needed to indulge in additional experimental configurations.
Musubi and crystals may also be earned by means of some gentle base administration. Finishing a degree unlocks a purified model of it on the world map. These are hub areas the place you may assign villagers to totally different renovation initiatives like fixing up a shrine or restoring destroyed jizo statues. These initiatives end whenever you full a sure variety of ranges. Due to this, you’re inspired to examine again in every space, organising new assignments and amassing rewards.
What stops these sections from changing into a tedious slog is the presentation. It is the sport expressing the Shinto perception of cherishing nature in addition to displaying the clear progress you are having in restoring order.
Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess Assessment – The Identical Story Instructed As soon as Extra
If there may be an space the place Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess is missing, it’s in narrative storytelling. Gameplay-wise, the marketing campaign is well-paced and filled with twists and turns. However by way of story and character, it’s largely wordless cutscenes.
It largely works because of the sport’s dedication to sensation. All the pieces from the kaleidoscopic artwork path to the expressive dancing efficiency seize to the moody acoustic soundtrack is really elevating. It’s a vibe-driven expertise, and the vibes are robust.
Simply how rewarding is that this gameplay? Upon ending the story, New Recreation Plus mode unlocked, and I instantly began it. That could be a testomony to the craftsmanship and care Capcom put into this title, and I am hoping it’s the begin of a brand new collection.
Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess Assessment | Last Ideas
A barebones story and a few annoying boss fights apart, Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess is a daring, assured mixture of fast-paced motion and thrilling tactical administration. Should you love motion or technique, this recreation is a must-play. Test it out.
Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess was reviewed on PlayStation 5 with a replica offered by Capcom over the course of 19 hours of gameplay – all screenshots have been taken through the strategy of assessment.
